Comments on: Buddhism is Non-Theistic; Buddhists aren’t (”oh, the Karmapa’s sooooo amaaaaazing!”)

By: The 16th Karmapa: The Lion's Roar and other videos of the late, great Tibetan Buddhist teacher. | elephant journal

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:32:27 +0000

[...] in awhile. I called him the Big Man in the Big Hat. For more on the Karmapa, and his charismatic reincarnation, the eco-responsible 17th Karmapa—who may on some level succeed the Dalai Lama when he passes [...]

By: Was Chogyam Trungpa an alcoholic? | elephant journal

Was Chogyam Trungpa an alcoholic? | elephant journal — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:18:14 +0000

[...] That said, he often told his students he wouldn’t be around for long, and that we were a non-theistic tradition, and that they’d better learn to run and direct things without him—one of the [...]

By: Melanie

Melanie — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:24:46 +0000

As Buddhists, we value leaders like the Karmapa because not only do they teach the dharma, but because we believe that they are enlightened beings, they MODEL enlightened behavior for us. Because of Basic Ignorance and the kleshas that arise out of it, we're not able to really connect with our own wisdom & potential for Buddhahood, which is why we have dharma, & why teachers are so important.

When we bow to a teacher (or even an image of the Buddha), we don't do it because it pleases them — we do it to kill our own illusory ego. This is the same reason we make offerings, prostrations, etc. It's not because the lama or the statue "cares".

HH Karmapa is a "big deal" because HH the Dalai Lama is getting older and his selection for Panchen Lama was kidnapped by the CCP. Therefore, the future of the seat of Dalai Lama & indeed the Gov't in Exile is uncertain. Because HH Karmapa is the next highest ranking leader, many believe that HH Dalai Lama will name him as successor. This is another reason why we're so interested in him.

Om Svasti!

By: tom moylan

tom moylan — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:58:37 +0000

Hi,
I like your take on the idolatrous worshipers.
Do only good, Avoid doing evil, Train your mind.

A good boildown. Did you see / hear what the Karmapa taught in Boulder?

By: Pema Chodron: Tonglen, a meditation practice for difficult times. | elephant journal

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:31:01 +0000

[...] Now I know her a little bit, though I only rarely see her (recently saw her a little at the Karmapa’s first visit to America). Here she talks about tonglen practice, one of the two or three fundamental [...]